The tara iti, Alborn skink and rare habitats need urgent help.
The first thing people usually say when you tell them where you’re from? “Oh wow, New Zealand’s such a beautiful country.” That’s true, but the very quality that makes our country so unique and globally recognised is not to be taken for granted.
With more than 4000 species threatened or at risk of extinction, the country’s natural heritage faces significant challenges from habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change.
“Our natural environment is fundamental to our wellbeing, to our health, and to our economy,” says Sia Aston, Public Affairs Deputy Director General at the Department of Conservation. “Just in economic terms, 70% of our exports rely on nature, so in a very real sense this country is built on it.”
However, she says many remain unaware of the crisis unfolding in our own backyard. While DOC enjoys an earned reputation for its tireless work protecting threatened species and ecosystems, Aston says the organisation is constantly stalked by limited resources and seemingly unlimited issues demanding attention.
Just like in an emergency room, triage and focusing efforts where they’re most needed is essential, Aston explains. “Those efforts depend on our work as much as they depend on help and support from every Kiwi. While we do have specific programmes where we’re asking for donations, there are multiple ways you can get involved, including volunteering for organised conservation groups.”
Among the most urgent priorities currently being targeted are three projects. The tara iti (New Zealand fairy tern), Alborn skink, and limestone ecosystems of the Waitaki Valley.
The tara iti is the country’s rarest endemic breeding bird and teeters on the brink with fewer than 40 adult tara iti left and of them, only 10 are known breeding females. Found in Auckland and Northland, these tiny coastal birds are ground-nesters vulnerable to predators and storms.
Despite their precarious status, there’s hope. A recent breeding season produced 17 fledglings, up from nine the previous year and just three the year before, bringing the total population to 50. DOC techniques protecting them include satellite tracking to monitor movements, newly developed zoo based rearing techniques in partnership with Auckland Zoo and intensive nest management techniques that use 3D printed eggs. “Tracking shows how far individual birds go around the country,” Aston explains. “Some have even gone as far as New Plymouth from Northland, and they’re tiny little things.”
The 3D printed replicas are cleverly swapped in during storms to protect viable eggs from damage. “We go to great lengths to look after these birds with strategic partners like Auckland Zoo,” says Aston. DOC is seeking $1.5 million towards work to secure the tara iti future.
Found in a Pakihi clearing surrounded by beech forest, near Reefton, the Alborn skink has an estimated total population of just 30 individuals. Predators like mice threaten their survival, and DOC is taking action. “With so few of them, they are at extremely high risk of extinction,” Aston says. “We’re looking to build a five-hectare fenced-enclosure to ensure the species’ survival.”
Currently under construction, this predator-proof fence will provide a safe haven for breeding and recovery. “Keeping predators out gives Alborn skinks a chance to survive and breed and breathe,” she adds. DOC aims to raise $466,000 for additional work to help the species survive and thrive.
New Zealand’s limestone ecosystems comprise unique habitats supporting over 150 species of endemic plants. “Limestone ecosystems are rare and unusual. They are life-sustaining for so many other species, many of which are as yet unnamed.”
With 73% of these species confined to areas smaller than 10ha, they’re highly vulnerable to habitat loss, invasive weeds and extreme weather. DOC’s plan involves removing exotic plants, propagating threatened species, and creating forest buffers for protection. The cost of effective protection securing the future of these ecosystems is $1.4 million for a project Aston says could set a global blueprint for ecosystem restoration across Aotearoa.
You can donate directly to these priority projects through the New Zealand Nature Fund (NZNF) – the charitable trust responsible for funds donated to these projects. These projects are already planned; with your support, they can go further, faster.
But it isn’t just about money. “We want New Zealanders to fall back in love with their natural environment and be a part of it,” says Aston. “This is your heritage, and we can be proud of its international recognition. Our environment is very much part of our identity, so I encourage everyone to get involved, volunteer with local conservation groups, or simply go for a walk because as much of a taonga as it is, our nature is free to enjoy.”
Every dollar helps – donate now to take action for nature.